COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In game four of this weekend's conference opener, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team swung hot bats to top the Colorado Christian University Cougars at a final score of 17-2 at Mountain Lion Park.
With Sunday's game four win, UCCS has swept CCU for the first time in program history. Junior
Daniel Silva had his best outing of the season, throwing a full seven innings while only allowing one run off five hits and one walk. Silva punched out three in the ball game, but was very efficient as he had three innings where he retired the first three batters, and also threw 12 pitches or less in four different innings. After the stellar performance, Silva currently boasts a 2.90 ERA and moves to 3-0 on the season.
The Mountain Lions backed their 17-run win with 16 hits and seven extra base hits, including three home runs and four doubles. Also included in UCCS' offensive surge was five different players recording two hits in the ball game.
Matt McDermott, the team leader in hits (32) and RBI (23), finished the game with a team high in hits as he went 3-for-5 with two RBI.
Jake Anderson came to make some noise as he finished the day 2-for-4 with a grand slam and a team high six RBI.
For the first time in the series, the Cougars were the first ones to put a run on the board as they started the second inning off with a lead-off double that just missed the out-stretched glove of
Matt Berg in left center. A deep fly ball then advanced the runner to third, with a base hit up the middle to score CCU's one of two runs and give them a 1-0 lead.
CCU's lead was short lived as the Mountain Lions strung together five hits to put up eight runs in the bottom of the second inning. UCCS'
Riley Gregory, McDermott, and
Jake Anderson combined to drive in the runs as Gregory drove in two with bases loaded, and McDermott also driving in two off a double to left field. Anderson accounted for the other four RBI as he crushed a ball to deep left field with bases loaded for a grand slam, making that his first home run of the season.
UCCS followed up their monster eight run second inning with five more runs in the third inning. The Matt Trifecta got the inning rolling as
Matt Berg started it off with a ground rule double to left center field, with McDermott beating out an infield hit, and
Matthew Clarke singling up the middle to load the bases up for
Tyler Matheny. Matheny stayed patient in his at-bat as he walked to keep the bases loaded, and record an RBI to make the score 9-1, with Anderson stepping into the box next for the Mountain Lions. In the third inning, with one out and bases loaded,
Jake Anderson delivered yet again for UCCS as he hit a hard ground ball single through the left side to bring in two runs and notch six RBI on the day. Before the end of the inning,
Cody Norton matched Anderson's two RBI with a single of his own to left field which brought in two more runs for UCCS, making the score 13-1 at the end of three innings.
Taking advantage of a windy day at Mountain Lion Park, Clarke and Berg put up four more runs with two long balls as Clarke smashed a three-run home run in the fourth, and Berg went deep for a solo shot in the sixth inning to make the score 17-1 in favor of the Mountain Lions.
Colorado Christian did not go down without a fight in the ninth inning, as the Cougars were able to get one run across against
Hayden Salverda before falling to UCCS at a score of 17-2.
In one inning of relief, Salverda only gave up the one run off one hit, while fanning two batters to record two strikeouts. Freshman
Christian Lewis made is collegiate debut on Sunday as he also went one inning of relief, giving up one hit and recording his first career strikeout.
Anderson's six RBI on the day ties
Zach Hall for the most RBI in a single game in program history. For the series, Anderson went 6-for-16 with 10 RBI, one triple, and one home run in four games played.
The Mountain Lions will look to take the momentum from this weekend's conference sweep on the road to St. George, Utah, as UCCS faces Dixie State University in a four game series. Game one is set for Friday, Mar. 15 at 6 p.m.
